Boris’ mini-Hollands will help transform London into a leading cycling city says Boardman

The mayor of London’s £100 million investment to transform three of the capital’s boroughs into ‘mini-Hollands’ will “help elevate London into a leading cycling city,” British Cycling’s policy adviser, Chris Boardman, said today as he helped to launch the announcement alongside Boris Johnson.

The mayor’s ‘mini-Hollands’ project – launched last year – gave all London boroughs the opportunity to bid for funds to install Dutch-style infrastructure to promote cycling in their areas. The winners of the bids – Enfield, Kingston and Waltham Forest - have today been selected for full mini-Holland status, receiving up to £30 million each.

Accommodating cycling into all road design projects, known as ‘cycle-proofing,’ is the key action point in British Cycling’s Time to #ChooseCycling manifesto, launched in Parliament last month.

Speaking at the launch, Chris Boardman said: "The boroughs that have won funding today have demonstrated that they understand what a vision of a true cycling nation looks like.

"Almost half of London households do not have a car, and around a quarter of journeys in inner London are now by bike, so it's logical that infrastructure and resource for this desirable form of transport reflects this.

"Those boroughs that have missed out should now see this as an opportunity to make some bold decisions to prioritise cycling under their own steam. That is the kind of leadership we're looking for and will help to elevate London into a leading cycling city."

The three winning boroughs will spend the money on the following improvements:

Kingston: A major cycle hub will be created and the plaza outside Kingston station will be transformed. New high-quality cycling routes will be introduced together with a Thames Riverside Boardway, a landmark project which could see a new cycle boardwalk delivered on the banks of the river

Enfield: Enfield Town centre will be completely redesigned, with segregated superhighways linking key destinations, three cycle hubs delivered across the Borough and new greenway routes introduced

Waltham Forest: A semi-segregated Superhighway route along Lea Bridge Road will be developed as well as a range of measures focused on improving cycling in residential areas and the creation of “Hackney-style” cycle-friendly low-traffic neighbourhoods.

The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “I have been incredibly impressed with the standard of the mini-Holland entries and by the thirst among all the finalists to transform themselves into better places for people. It has been so hard to choose between them that I have decided that all shall have prizes.

“Areas once terra incognita for the bicycle will, over time, become every bit as cycle-friendly as their Dutch equivalents - places that suburbs and towns all over Britain will want to copy.”

Bexley, Ealing, Merton and Richmond will also work with Transport for London to take forward substantial parts of their bids to improve cycle routes and facilities.

The eighth finalist, Newham, has been invited to submit a bid for funding under Transport for London’s major schemes budget to go towards a £16 million plan to remove the Stratford gyratory and reshape Stratford town centre.